Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image signal recording/reproduction apparatus, a method of image signal recording/reproduction and an image signal recording apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
Examples of recording media employed to record images in movie cameras in the prior art include magnetic tape. In such a movie camera employing magnetic tape, when an instruction to start recording an image is issued, the drive of an imaging unit constituted of a CCD or the like starts and, after sequentially performing an operation to wind the magnetic tape onto a cylinder, an operation to set the cylinder in a steady-rotating state and an operation to advance the loaded magnetic tape to a position where recording is enabled (hereafter, these operations are collectively referred to as the preparatory operations), the camera enters a state in which recording on the magnetic tape is enabled.
Since it is necessary to perform a number of operations as described above before the recording-enabled state is achieved in the movie camera described above, a certain length of time elapses after, for instance, the user operates a recording start button until the actual recording of the image signal starts. Since images cannot be captured during this time, the user may miss recording an opportunity to capture a desired scene.
This problem is dealt with in movie cameras in the prior art by providing a standby state in which recording of an image signal can be started any time with the tape wound at the cylinder and the cylinder in the steady-rotating state.
However, there is a problem in that, since the motor is rotating at all times in the standby state, extra power is consumed. In addition, there is a problem of the tape or the magnetic head becoming worn since the motor is rotating while the tape is stationary.
Furthermore, when starting recording immediately after turning on the power at the main unit, for instance, a certain length of time must elapse before the recording can start, which may cause the user to miss recording the desired scene, as explained above.
Moreover, when it becomes necessary to immediately switch to a recording operation while performing a reproduction operation in the movie camera, the recording operation cannot be started promptly for the following reason. Namely, when switching from the reproduction operation to the recording operation, the operating mode at the movie camera must be switched from the reproduction operation mode to the recording operation mode by temporarily stopping the tape. When the recording operation at the movie camera is then started, the preparatory operations described earlier are performed again before the actual recording operation starts. Thus, a significant length of time must elapse before the recording start, which may cause the user to miss recording the desired scene.